Segloch Run

[riverwhy]

Iheard from someone that lives on the stream just below the gamelands that it there is tons of silt in the stream. Much worse than in the past. I suspect at least some of it is coming from the little trib that flows in right at the dirt road intersection. Basically runs unprotected through a horse meadow. Looks like a hippo wallow. Disgraceful.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I don't know how disgraceful it is, or just part of nature. There's a lot of sandstone in that area and we had massive flooding in 2010. Many of the freestoners in that area took a hit, particularly one of the tribs to Hammer. Silt is one of the banes of trout streams in Northern Lancaster.

 

[Swattie87]

Squatch beat me to it...

If true, I’m sure the circumstances surrounding that trib aren’t helping, but Segloch (and many of the other Furnace Hills streams) tend to be pretty silty…sandy actually, because of all the red sandstone in their watershed. As it erodes it basically forms that reddish brown sand that piles up in eddies and on the edges of pools. IMO the floods of 2011 actually helped flush a good bit of that sand out of some of these streams, temporarily at least. Segloch especially so, and I think it’s fished marginally better since. On other area streams, the floods merely rearranged the sand though, and some of those streams (the one Squatch mentioned in particular) have suffered since the floods. It’s still an uphill battle for Segloch though…even if you removed the gravel road that parallels it, and put more of a buffer into the headwater areas, Segloch and its neighboring streams would still be pretty silty/sandy based on their geology.

 

[riverwhy]

Squatch,

An overgrazed horsemeadow is not natural and beyond poor conservation practice. At one point I don't think there was a single blade of grass in that field. That may have been a couple years ago.

I caught my first native out of that stream. That was over 30 years ago! I do understand the geology of the area, but know it was much cleaner back then. There were times when it actually had the "bright" look of a brookie stream. Seems now the levels fluctuate very rapidly and retain a silty appearance long after the rains are gone.

We did some biomass samplings on the stream years ago and the diversity of aquatic life was outstanding for a freestoner. I wonder how much it has changed?

I guess I just wish the conservation groups could focus more on saving what is special and to me that means starting in the headwaters.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I hear you dude. We've had this discussion on the board in the past about the neglect that the northern Lanc. freestoners get from our "cold water conservation" group. We have a few gems in the northern part of the county. Despite the "neglect", somehow these streams keep holding and producing good populations of native and wild fish.

 

[riverwhy]

I guess we are preaching to the choir! Let me know if ever want to meet up on those Northern Lanco streams. I grew up on Middle Creek so I know that whole region well. I would love to explore the old haunts again and compare some notes! Schedule is pretty busy this spring but starting in July things really open up. I have been getting lazy fishing the Swatara lately!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Sounds great! I can be on those streams in 15 minutes, so I fish them often because they're perfect "after work quick trip" streams for me!

 

[McSneek]

Riverwhy - I helped you and Jeff haul more than a few pine trees from Elizabeth Farms to the lower Segloch as part of the original Donegal TU improvement project. Later they came in with equipment, rock, etc. and did even more work on that little stretch that goes through the farm. Not sure there was any value to it in the long run.

Haven't fished Segloch in a few years. The sandstone silt was always bad. Those NorLanco streams in the furnace hills deserve more attention from conservation groups than they get.

 

[riverwhy]

McSneek,

Those were fun days! I did end up questioning the value in some of those projects from a stream improvement perspective. Those freestoners flood way too much for some of the dinky changes we made. I do remember the tremendous mayfly and caddis nymphos coating the pine needles! Then they took the bulldozers in and really changed it. If anything I guess I just think the best and most practical thing to do is to restore riparian buffers as much possible.

I may have fished that meadow stretch a couple times since then but don't think I caught a fish. I may try to check it out in the next couple weeks.

 

[gfig19]

wild brookie/brown combo? i know the thinner one is a brookie for sure but i'm having second thoughts of the other....hammer creek this past weekend.

 

[Swattie87]

First pic is a Brookie, the second is a Brown.

Both are wild. Hammer has both species.

 

[gfig19]

thanks buddy! that just makes my day!